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Woman Finds Lizard in Her Lunch

A Maine nurse found a 3-inch lizard in the salad she prepared from a bag of romaine lettuce she bought at a Shaw's store in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

(Published Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018)

A Maine woman who prepared a salad says she realized after a couple of bites her fork was stuck in a 3-inch lizard, minus the tail.

After vomiting and getting over her shock, Michelle Carr, a nurse from Kittery, Maine, said she feared she could have consumed harmful bacteria. A biologist friend believes she found a blue-bellied lizard from California.

"I am worried I may have ingested the tail," Carr said. "The tip was raw."

Carr said she bought a bag of store-brand romaine lettuce at a Shaw's supermarket in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Jan. 26. The lettuce was distributed by a California company.

"I was repulsed. I was disgusted. I was startled," Carr recalled. "It still makes me want to gag to this day."

A supermarket spokesperson said it notified the supplier.

"Shaw's takes all issues regarding the quality and safety of any product sold in our stores very seriously," the spokesperson said, adding, "We are working with the supplier to determine the cause and the steps needed to prevent this from reoccurring."

Carr also called the state Health Department. A spokesman said because the lettuce was packaged and shipped from another state, any investigation would be conducted by the Food and Drug Administration.

Carr tells NBC10 Boston she has heard back from the FDA, and that they're investigating.

"How did it happen? Why did it happen? And what can we do to make sure it doesn't happen again?" Carr asked.